Semiconductor device fabrication typically involves depositing and patterning a number of layers on a substrate such as a silicon wafer or glass plate. One widely used method of forming material layers on substrates is known as sputtering or sputter deposition (also referred to as physical vapor deposition (PVD)).
A first conventional PVD reactor is schematically illustrated in cross-section in FIG. 1A. The reactor 10 is of a type sometimes referred to as an SIP (self ionizing plasma) chamber. Reference numeral 10 generally indicates the PVD reactor. The reactor 10 includes a sealable chamber 12, and a target 14 installed at the top of the chamber 12. The target 14 is composed of a material, usually a metal, to be sputter deposited on a wafer 16 held on a pedestal 18. A shield 20 installed within the chamber 12 protects walls of the chamber 12 from material sputtered from the target 14 and provides a grounding anode. A variable (DC) power supply 22 is connected to the target 14 for supplying power thereto.
A working gas supply 23, which includes a working gas source 24 and a first mass flow controller 26, supplies a working gas (typically the chemically inactive gas argon) to the chamber 12. If reactive sputtering is to be performed to sputter-deposit a metal nitride layer, such as TaN, a second gas supply 25 may be provided, including a nitrogen gas source 27 and a second mass flow controller 29. The chamber 12 is shown as receiving argon and nitrogen near the top of the chamber 12, but may be reconfigured to receive argon and nitrogen at other locations, such as near the bottom of the chamber 12. A pump 28 is provided to pump out the chamber 12 to a pressure at which sputtering is performed; and an RF power source 32 is connected to the pedestal 18 through a coupling capacitor 34 (e.g., for biasing the wafer 16 during sputtering).
A controller 30 is provided to control operation of the reactor 10. The controller 30 is operatively connected to control the DC power supply 22, the first mass flow controller 26, the second mass flow controller 29, the pump 28, and the RF power supply 32. The controller 30 similarly may be coupled to control the position and/or temperature of the pedestal 18. For example, the controller 30 may control the distance between the pedestal 18 and the target 14, as well as heating and/or cooling of the pedestal 18. To promote efficient sputtering, a magnetron 36 may be rotationally mounted above the target 14 to shape the plasma. The magnetron 36 may be of a type which produces an asymmetric magnetic field which extends deep into the chamber 12 (e.g., toward the pedestal 18), to enhance the ionization density of the plasma, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,614. U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,614 is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Typical ionized metal densities may reach 1010 to 1011 metal ions/cm3 when such asymmetric magnetic fields are employed. In such systems, ionized metal atoms follow the magnetic field lines which extend into the chamber 12, and thus coat the wafer 16 with greater directionality and efficiency. The magnetron 36 may rotate, for example, at 60-100 rpm. Stationary magnetic rings may be used instead of the rotating magnetron 36.
In operation, argon is admitted into the chamber 12 from the working gas supply 23 and the DC power supply 22 is turned on to ignite the argon into a plasma. Positive argon ions thereby are generated, and the target 14 is biased negatively relative to the grounded shield 20. These positively charged argon ions are attracted to the negatively biased target 14, and may strike the target 14 with sufficient energy to cause target atoms to be sputtered from the target 14. Some of the sputtered atoms strike the wafer 16 and are deposited thereon thereby forming a film of the target material on the wafer 16.
A DC self bias of the wafer 16 results from operation of the RF power supply 32, and enhances efficiency of sputter deposition (e.g., by attracting ionized target atoms which strike the wafer 16 with more directionality). As stated, the use of asymmetric magnetic fields increases ionized metal densities. A larger fraction of sputtered target atoms thereby strike the wafer 16 (with greater directionality).
Within the reactor 10, sputtering typically is performed at a pressure of about 0-2 milliTorr. Other pressures may be employed. The power applied to the target 14 may be, for example, about 18 kW and the RF bias signal applied to the pedestal 18 may be about 250 W or less (although other target powers and RF biases may be used).
If reactive sputtering is to be performed, nitrogen is flowed into the chamber 12 from the second gas supply 25 together with argon provided from the working gas supply 23. Nitrogen reacts with the target 14 to form a nitrogen film on the target 14 so that metal nitride is sputtered therefrom. Additionally, non-nitrided atoms are also sputtered from the target 14. These atoms can combine with nitrogen to form metal nitride in flight or on the wafer 16.
FIG. 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view of a second conventional PVD reactor 10′. The reactor 10′ of FIG. 1B may have all of the components described above in connection with the reactor 10 of FIG. 1A. In addition the reactor 10′ includes a coil 38 which is disposed within the chamber 12 and surrounds a portion of the interior volume of the chamber 12. The coil 38 may comprise a plurality of coils, a single turn coil, a single turn material strip, or any other similar configuration. The coil 38 is positioned along the inner surface of the chamber 12, between the target 14 and the pedestal 18.
An RF power source 40 is connected to the coil 38 and is controlled by the controller 30. During sputter-deposition operation of the reactor 10′, the RF power source 40 is operated to energize the coil 38, to enhance the plasma within the chamber 12 (by ionizing target atoms sputtered from the target 14). The coil 38 typically is energized at about 2 MHz at a power level of 1-3 kW. Other frequencies and/or powers may be used. As with the reactor 10 of FIG. 1A, metal ion densities can reach about 1010-1011 metal ions/cm3. However, because of the energy provided by the coil 38, high metal ion densities may be provided over a wider region of the plasma of the reactor 10 than for the plasma of the reactor 10 of FIG. 1A. The chamber pressures employed in the reactor 10′ of FIG. 1B may be similar to those described above in connection with the reactor 10 of FIG. 1A. As was the case with the reactor 10 of FIG. 1A, stationary ring magnets may be used in the reactor 10′ of FIG. 1B in place of the rotating magnetron 36.
FIG. 1C is a schematic cross-sectional view of a third conventional PVD reactor 10″. The reactor 10″ of FIG. 1C may have all the components of the reactor 10′ of FIG. 1B, except that in place of the asymmetric magnetron 36 shown in FIG. 1B, a balanced magnetron 42 (FIG. 1C) may be provided. The magnetic field provided by the balanced magnetron 42 does not extend as far into the chamber 12 as the magnetic field provided by the asymmetric magnetron 36. The reactor 10″ of FIG. 1C is therefore operated at a higher pressure (e.g., 10-100 milliTorr) so that metal atoms sputtered from the target 14 thermalize and have a greater opportunity for ionization. That is, at the higher pressure at which the reactor 10″ operates, metal atoms sputtered from the target 14 experience more collisions (have a smaller mean free path between collisions) and due to increased collisions have more random motion or a longer transit time within the plasma of the reactor 10″ and thus more opportunity to ionize. Metal ion densities within the reactor 10″ may reach about 1010-1011 metal ions/cm3, but over a larger volume than in the reactor 10 of FIG. 1A.
As in the case of the reactors 10, 10′, stationary ring magnets may be employed in the reactor 10″ of FIG. 1C.
FIG. 1D is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fourth conventional PVD reactor 10′″. The reactor 10′″ includes a specially shaped target 242 and a magnetron 280. The target 242 or at least its interior surface is composed of the material to be sputter deposited (e.g., copper, titanium, tantalum, tungsten or other materials). Reactive sputtering of materials like TiN and TaN can be accomplished by using a Ti or Ta target and including gaseous nitrogen in the plasma. In such a case, the nitrogen is introduced into the reactor 10′″ from a nitrogen gas source which is not shown in FIG. 1D. Other combinations of metal targets and reactive gases may be employed.
The target 242 includes an annularly shaped downwardly facing vault 118 facing a wafer 120 which is to be sputter coated. The vault could alternatively be characterized as an annular roof. The vault 118 has an aspect ratio of its depth to radial width of at least 1:2 and preferably at least 1:1. The vault 118 has an outer sidewall 122 outside of the periphery of the wafer 120, an inner sidewall 124 overlying the wafer 120, and a generally flat vault top wall or roof 244 (which closes the bottom of the downwardly facing vault 118). The target 242 includes a central portion forming a post 126 including the inner sidewall 124 and a generally planar face 128 in parallel opposition to the wafer 120. A cylindrical central well 136 of the target 242 is formed between opposed portions of the inner target sidewall 124. The target 242 also includes a flange 129 that is vacuum sealed to a grounded chamber body 150 of the reactor 10′″ through a dielectric target isolator 152.
The wafer 120 is clamped to a heater pedestal electrode 154 by, for example, a clamp ring 156 although electrostatic chucking may alternatively be employed. An electrically grounded shield 158 acts as an anode with respect to the cathode target 242, which is negatively energized by a power supply 160. As an alternative to DC sputtering, RF sputtering can also be employed, and may be particularly useful for sputtering non-metallic targets.
An electrically floating shield 162 is supported on the electrically grounded shield 158 or chamber 150 by a dielectric shield isolator 164. A cylindrical knob 166 extending downwardly from the outer target sidewall 122 and positioned inwardly of the uppermost part of the floating shield 162 protects the upper portion of the floating shield 162 and the target isolator 152 from sputter deposition from the strong plasma disposed within the target vault 118. The gap between the upper portion of the floating shield 162 and the target knob 166 and the flange 129 is small enough to act as a dark space (preventing a plasma from propagating into the gap).
A working gas such as argon is supplied into the reactor 10′″ from a gas source 168 through a mass flow controller 170. A vacuum pumping system 172 maintains the chamber at a reduced pressure, typically a base pressure of about 10−8 Torr. An RF power supply 174 RF biases the pedestal electrode 154 through an isolation capacitor (not shown), to produce a negative DC self-bias. Alternatively, the RF power supply may be omitted and the pedestal electrode 154 may be allowed to float to develop a negative self-bias. A controller 176 regulates the power supplies 160, 174, mass flow controller 170, and vacuum system 172 (e.g., according to a sputtering recipe stored in the controller 176). The controller 176 also may control the position and/or temperature of the pedestal electrode 154.
The magnetron 280 includes inner and outer top magnets 272, 274 overlying the vault roof 244. Side magnets 282, 284 disposed outside of the vault sidewalls 122, 124 have opposed vertical magnetic polarities but are largely decoupled from the top magnets 272, 274 because they are supported on a magnetic yoke 188 by non-magnetic supports 286, 288. As a result, the side magnets 282, 284 create a magnetic field B in the vault 118 that has two generally anti-parallel components extending radially across the vault 118 as well as two components extending generally parallel to the trough sidewalls. Thus the magnetic field B extends over a substantial depth of the vault 118 and repels electrons from the sidewalls 122, 124. A magnetic field B′ is formed by top magnets 272, 274.
A motor 190 is supported on the chamber body 150 by means of a cylindrical sidewall 192 and a roof 194, which are preferably electrically isolated from the biased target flange 129. The motor 190 has a motor shaft connected to the yoke 188 at a central axis 116 of the target 242. The motor 190 may rotate the magnetron 280 about the axis 116 at a suitable rate (e.g., about 50 rpm or greater). The yoke 188 is asymmetric and may be shaped as a sector. Mechanical counterbalancing may be provided to reduce vibration in the rotation of the axially offset magnetron 280.
Some or all of the magnets of the magnetron 280 may be replaced by stationary ring magnets.
The pressure level employed during sputtering in the reactor 10′″ of FIG. 1D may be similar to the pressure level employed during sputtering in the reactor 10 of FIG. 1A. The reactor 10′″ of FIG. 1D produces ionized metal densities in the range of 1010-1011 metal ions/cm3 without requiring a coil and over a larger volume than in the reactor 10 of FIG. 1A. Target power may be in the range of about 20-40 kW although other power ranges may be employed.
A reactor of the type shown in FIG. 1D is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,249, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,242 is related to U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,249 and is also incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The multi-layer structure of typical semiconductor devices requires that connections be made between layers of the devices. For this purpose, holes or other features are formed in dielectric layers that isolate adjacent conductive layers from each other, and the holes are filled with conductive material (e.g., metal). If a lower layer to which a connection is made is the semiconductor substrate, then a connecting hole is referred to as a “contact”; if the lower layer is a metallization layer then the connecting hole is referred to as a “via”. As used herein, the term “via” should be understood to include both contact holes and via holes, as well as other similar features such as lines and/or trenches.
With the use of copper for metallization layers in semiconductor devices, it has become conventional to coat vias with barrier layers before filling with copper. The purpose of the barrier layer is to prevent diffusion of the copper into the dielectric layer through which the via or other feature is formed.
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a dual damascene structure 300 which has been coated with a barrier layer 302 in accordance with conventional practice. It should be understood that FIG. 2 is not drawn to scale and is merely representative. The dual damascene structure 300 has been formed in a dielectric layer 304, and includes a trench 306 and vias 308. The vias 308 have bottoms 310 and side walls 312.
In accordance with conventional practice, the barrier layer 302 may be formed by sputter-depositing a tantalum nitride layer 314, followed by sputter-depositing a tantalum layer 316. According to this conventional practice, the tantalum nitride layer 314 generally is deposited so as to have a thickness of about 100 angstroms at a field region 318 of the substrate. The tantalum layer 316 generally is deposited so as to have a thickness of about 150 angstroms at the field region 318.
A problem which is encountered with the conventional barrier layer 302 of FIG. 2 is asymmetry in the barrier layer, particularly at the lower portion of the via side wall 312 (near bottom 310), as indicated by reference numeral 320. Such asymmetry may result in inadequate side wall coverage and less than desirable performance of the barrier layer 302.